Acetylene-gas generator



(No Model.) I

J. S. FERGUSON.

AOETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

. No. 594,826. Patented Nov. 30, 1897'.

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? NITED STATES JAMES S. FERGUSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

ACETYLEN E-GAS GEN ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,826, dated November30, 1897. Application filed July 19, 1897. Serial No. 645,040. (Nomodel.)

sists in the production of a case or cabinet constructed substantiallyas herein shown and hereinafter described adapted to hold both theliquid and the solid (separated) and to automatically precipitatemeasured quantities of the said solid into said liquid and to store andautomatically control the pressure of the gas generated by their union,as

will hereinafter appear.

My invention relates especially to the production of acetylene gasproduced from the union of water and 'calcium'carbid.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a per spective view of my generator complete. Fig. 2 is atop View of the case or cabinet detached from the gas-holder. Fig. 3 isan end view of the same. Fig. 4 is a section of Fig. 2, taken on theline 4 4; and Fig. 5 is a detail.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The cabinet A may be made of any suitable material (galvanized ironbeing adapted to its construction) and of any desired form. Its cover amay be hinged thereto, or it may be removable therefrom. It should beprovided with suitable clamps to hold it in close contact with aninterveningpacking. Said clamps and packing I do not deem it necessaryto show, as such devices are common and form no part of my invention.The shelves b are hinged to its interior side or sides (preferably thelatter) intermediate its height. 7 They are supported in a horizontalposition by means of latches 0, but are adapted to swing downward to avertical position when the said latches are deflected. Each of theseshelves bis adapted to holdv either a fixed or a removable case ormagazine d, holding the calcium carbid, and when in a horizontalposition, as shown by b, Fig. 4, keeping it apart from the water withwhich the cabinet A is charged, but when in a vertical position, asshown by dotted lines in same figure, precipitating it therein. It willbe understood that when the magazines cl are affixed to or integralparts of the shelves 1) they precipitate their contents into the Waterbelow, but when removable therefrom they (with their contents) areprecipitated into the water, from which they are recovered whenrecharging the cabinet A. The latches c, which support the shelves 1;,may be held in position by means of the spring f, as shown by e, Fig. 4,being spring-latches, or they may be so fashioned as to be held in placeby their own weight, being gravity-latches.

The shaft 9 is journaled in the ends of the cabinet A, extending outwardfrom one of them; It is provided with a number of cams h, one for eachpair of shelves, as shown. These cams operate to deflect the latches c,

and are so set upon the shaft g that their projecting points willoperate in turn, to the end that but one of the latches 0 will bedeflected and but one of the shelves 1) will be dropped at anyone time.

A ratchet-wheel 11, having as many teeth as there are-magazines (Z, isaffixed to the end of the shaft 9 which extends out through the end ofthe cabinet A. It operates to intermittingly rotate the shaft g.

The rock-shafts j (like the cam-shaft g) are journaled into the ends ofthe cabinetA and with the same should be provided with a suitablestuffing-box. They operate to lift the shelves (9 back into a horizontalposition.

The pendent rod k is connected with the rising-and-falling case of atelescope gasholder. It operates in its downward movement tointermittingly rotate the ratchetwheel 1' by contacting with andpressing down on the teeth.

The click Z operates to control the intermittent action of theratchet-wheel i and prevent its rotating backward or in the wrongdirection.

The pipe m connects my generator with a telescope gas-holder not unlikethose in common use. It is provided with the valve n' to shut offcommunicationbetween the generator and the gas-holder.

I operate my device as follows: I first ad mit or pour water into mycabinet A, leaving it about one third full. I then charge the magazineswith calcium carbid, close down and clamp the cover. I then open thevalve 01 of the connecting-pipe m to provide for storing the gas andturn the ratchet-wheel 71 one tooth, thereby rotating the shaft 9, dc,-fiecting one of the latches c, dropping one of the shelves 1;, andemptying the contents of or precipitating one of the magazines 01 intothe water below. Through this operation acetylene gas will at once beevolved, penetrate the water, accumulate in the cabinet A, above thesame, flow through the pipe m into the telescope gas-holder and by itsexpansive force lift the movable case thereof. Then as the gas isexhausted at the burners the movable case of the telescope gas-holderwill fall by gravity, carrying with it the pendent rod 7a, the lower endof which will contact with one of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel i,which it will rotate one tooth, when the abovedescribed operation willbe repeated until the last magazine has been emptied or precipitated.

Thus it will be seen that my generator (after being started) isautomatic in its operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Let ters Patent, is

1., The combination with a telescope gasholder, of a case or cabinethaving horizontally-supported shelves hinged to its interior side orsides, magazines supported by, and latches supporting, the said shelves,a shaft having cams mounted thereon, and aratchetwheel affixed thereto,a pendent rod operated by the rising-an d-fallin g case of the saidtelescope gas-holder, adapted when on its downward course to contactwith a tooth of, and to rotate said ratchet-wheel, and a pipe connectingthe said case or cabinet, and the said telescope gas-holder,substantially as shown, and for the purposes specified.

2. The combination with the telescope gasholder of a case or cabinethaving horizontally-supported shelves, magazines supported by, andlatches supporting, the said shelves, a shaft having cams mountedthereon, and a ratchet-wheel affixed thereto, a pendent rod attached to,and operated by the risingandfalling case of the said telescopegas-holder, and a pipe connecting the said case or cabinet and the saidtelescope gas-holder, substantially as shown and for the purposesspecified.

. JAMES S. FERGUSON. Witnesses:

ALEX. MAcLnAN, GEO. B. ADAMS.

